The evening world., 1887-11-18
HOW FINE PORCELAIN IS MADE
japan Exccls In II and Four Dollar. n Month
II Good Wages.
icor%rs.pond.no. pia.bsra D,tpa,eh.l

Correspondence Piisbsro D,spa,eh.1
Probably no country In the world possesses such
resources for the manufacture OF nne porcelain and
ear'hen wares ~ Japan. There are nearly three
hundred localities In the empire where clay Is
found suitable for the manufacture OF porcelain
without being treated to the addition Of foreign
matter. The constituent elements of porcelain are
chiery silica, alumina and water.
The clays used by the Japanese potters are
treated by being thoroughly pounded under water
In FOUNDERS which are generally worked by hand.
After the earthly matter has settled At the bottom
Of The vessel the water Ia poured OF and the resid-
uum Is dried and stored away In the form Of nat
cakes upon boards, or rs an incapable powder In
boxes. The shaping 10 done for the most part upon
The po,ter's wheel, the Introduction Of whi;n Is at,
Glo-gi Bo-satsu, born go, died Tao A. ID.
The potterls wheel In vogue among the Japanese
sists Of q round piece Of hard wood well battened
on the under side TO prevent warpinR, ana working
epmmappi Ieot to the Wheel in mo most cases by " The J
hand Of the potter himself. When other than
round shapes are required crude moulds are some
After the clay has been shaped upon the wheel II
Is dried for a couple Of days. II ia then smoothed
by a brief preliminary baking. II Is then either
painted and fired, or glazed and hred, II II Is
designed TO tie painted on tho glaze. The ovens
are generally constructed upon Il hillside, one above
the other, with the draft from the lowest 10 the
highest, and an arrangement for firing each KILN
| btIuThltll. ne consequence u tnh u uktuntu
Ia that the upper kilns are the hottest, and the ware
which requires the most intense neat is accordingly
placed In these. These connecting kilns possess
the merits OF fuel, but are not always
well constructed, and there Ia often u want OF uni
formity In the heat.
The Japanese display great skill in the painting
Of their porcelain and earthen wares. the blue
color OF the common ware Ia due to the use OF
cobalt. This ware Is painted on the bisque before
firing. The more handsome and costlier wares are
painted upon the glaze and are subjected IN some
cases 10 repeated brings. The oxides employed in
coloring are those OF copper, cobalt, iron, anti.
mony, manganese and gold, which are mixed
with a silicate of lead and potash and baked at a
low temperature, though the oxides are also APP
perature which nuxes them and produces the de-
sired color. French and German colors are be
ginning TO be largely used.
l was at some pains to ascertain the prices paid
for labor In the oioissone and porcelain factories.
The work Ia done by the piece, and a good turner
IN a potter, establishment or sppameler receives
earn from IS cents to 81. 90 per diem. The wages
are graded downward from these maximum
ia s res , to ihose opD paid boys and MSo g ssln 'i% rg% e
previous letter, when speaking Of the wages
our exaggerated ideas Of the worth Of labor and
with the low purchasing power OF our coin are
apt to form false estimates when merely contem-
plating the scale OF prices paid here. But the
truth Is that Japanese tastes are simple and wants
few, and while from 70 cents to 81 per diem would
be accounted starvation wages In America, they
In reality represent a very Just and liberal COM
i cannot better illustrate what 1 mean than by
relating an incident which occurred In Toxic the
other day. A friend Of mine was met and accosted
by a swede. who insisted upon talking with him;
" What are you doing here ~ said my friend. 81
am working Tor a Japanese who Ia In the iron bust
ness" What are you getting ~ -Four dol
lars a month. {" -Four dollars q month Why,
man, that viii not keep soul and body together"
ing-house, and get all the meat and ash and bread
l want, and only pay 80 a month.